Traction-cable grip



W. MARTIN.

TRACTION CABLE GRIP.

(No ModeL) Patented Aug. 12, 1884..

aka 5 Z INVENTOR w BY W i WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT triers.

XVILLIAM MARTIN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

TRACTION-CABLE GR'IP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 303,535, dated August12, 1884.

Application filed May To all who/12, it n/ay col cernm Be it known thatI, \VILLIAM MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at SanFrancisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, haveinvented an Improvement in Traction-Cable Grips, of which the follow ingis a description.

This invention relates to that class of devices used to connect carswithtracti on cables, which are kept running along the line of the roadas endless belts by means independent of the car.

The obj cct of the invention is to take hold of a running cablegradually without wear thereto and without shock on the car; also, tolet go the cable gradually by a simple action of the car-driver.

To this end'my invention consists in the construction and combination ofparts forming a traction-cable grip, hereinafter described and claimed,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is aside elevation of my invention, parts being broken away to show theinterior. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same at at 00,Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in the plane of thetraction-rope.

A represents the frame or body of my de vice, which is to be attachedvery firmly to the car in any suitable mannnersuch as by bolting it tothe timbers of the car-bottom-so that the car may be drawn alongthereby.

13 represents acable in position to draw the car.

0 represents a series of grooved rollers journaled in a frame consistingof the plank D, which is fitted to slide in vertical grooves a in theframe A, and a cross-bar, E, which slides vertically against the face ofthe frame A.

F represents another series of rollers journaled in a plank, G, similarto and sliding in the same grooves as plank D, and in a bar, H, similarto bar E. The end pieces, I), of frame A are notched at one side toreceive the traction-cable B, which runs freely between the two sets ofrollers G and F so long as the same are kept separated. This separationis effected by springs I I, acting between the planks D and G.

J is a brake, consisting of a plank having a series of arches in itsedge to fit upon the series of rollers O. K is a similar brake acting onthe 15,1884. (No model.)

series of rollers F. These brakes are fitted to slide an inch or so inthe frame A, in'order that they may press the rollers upon the cable,and by continued pressure stop the rollers from revolving, thus grippingthem hard upon the cable, to be pulled along thereby. Force is appliedby the driver to produce the said pressure by means of the lever L,which is armed with a flat lug, d, which acts as a pry between the brakeJ and the bar M, which latter is connected with the brake K by means'ofscrewbolts 0. Thus the two brakes will be pressed upon their respectivesets of rollers by one act of the driver, and tipping the lever L,either forward or backward, will cause the pressure.

P represents staples fastened to the planks, D and G, -to serve asbases, against which the springs Q may act at one end, while their otherends act against the brakes. Thus, when the lever L is ripped either wayfrom a vertical position, the first action will be to draw the brakestoward each other, and as the springs Q transfer this motion to theplanks D and G, which carry the rollers, the rollers will first bepressed upon the cable, and, as the movement of the lever is continued,more and more force will be applied to close the rollers on the cableuntil the springs Q close sufficiently to permit the brakes to begin tobear on the rollers. Then the gradual arresting of the motion of therollers while gripping them tightly on the running cable will easilystart the car in motion. The

revolving of the rollers prevents wearing the cable, and the combinedaction of the brakes andsprings' prevents any shock either upon the earor upon the cable-driving mechanism. The nuts R on the screw-bolts 0permit the length of the boltsto be so adjusted as to permit the brakesto bear upon the rollers sooner or later relatively to the time of therollers bearing 011 the cable. The lower edge of the frame iswedge-shaped, to guide the cable over into its groove in the grip, andthe bar -H serves to guide the cable over the rollers.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secureby Letters Patent,is-

1. The combination, with a frame, A, having grooves a, of the planks Dand G, fitted to slide therein, the series of rollers G and F, mountedon said planks, brakes for the said rollers, and means, substantially asdescribed,

for forcing the rollers upon a cable and the brakes upon the rollers, asand for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the grooved frame A, the planksD and G, fittedto slide therein, and the series of rollers O and F, mounted on saidplanks, of the brakes J and K, the bar M, connected with brake K, andthe lever L, having the lug d to act between the brake J and the bar M,substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with the grooved frame A, the planks D and G, fittedto slide therein, the series of rollers G and F, mounted on said planks,the brakes J and K, the bar M, connected with the brake K, and the leverL, having lug d to act between the brake J and the bar M, of the staplesP, secured to planks D andG, and the springs Q, acting between thebrakes and the said staples to move the planks D-and G ahead of thebrakes, as shown and described 4. The combination, with thegrooved frameA, the planks D and G, fitted to slide therein, the series of rollers Gand F, mounted on said planks, the brakes J and K, the bar M, connectedwith brake K, the lever L, having lug d to act between the brake J andthe bar M, the staples P, secured to planks D and G, and the springs Q,acting between the brakes and the said staples, of the springs I, actingto press the planks D and G away from the cable, as and for the purposespecified.

5. The combination, with the grooved frame A, the planks D and G, fittedto slide therein, the series of rollers O and F, mounted on said planks,the brakes J and K, the bar M, the lever L, having the lug cl, and thestaples P, secured to planks D and G, and the springs Q, acting betweenthe brakes and the said 0 staples, of the screw-bolts 0, connecting thebrake K with the bar M adjustably, whereby the relation between therollers, brakes, and cable may be regulated at will, for the purposespecified, as shown and described.

. \VILLTAM MARTIN.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. MARTIN, JAMES O. J OIINSTON.

